The Sun. — London, England, 1808-09-10 00:00:00

PORT '4L: iiTITICULARS ItEIiECTING TILE C.M. • PAIGN IN PORTUGAL. ;• Lieutenant-General-Sir 1-I.attait Brattinri" arrived, at a mall bay on the coast of Portugal on the. "26th of Ang..bt, the day which preceded that on which' the &atle of Vimiera was fought. , , In the communication whi:h General BURRARD had that evening with Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY, warmly approved of all the measures of that Offi cer from the commencement of the campaign, and made no alteration whatever in the position which he bad taken up. On the following day, being ap prised by the firing that an engagement had com menced, Sir HARRY proceeded to the , ground, and arrived there about half past twelve, nearly an hour before the termination of the battle. , Sir ARTHUR, on being informed' of his arrival, immediately gal loped up to him for orders, communicating, at the s ame time, the .actual state of things, and the dis positions he had made. Of the, latter, General }l c anAtto- highly approved, and, in the most grafi , 'ging inanner to -Sir ARTHUR, declined taking the Chief Command, Command, for the reasons which he so flatter ingly' assigns in his excellent letter of the 21st to Lord CASTLEREAGH. it is but justice to add, that, during the remain der of the action, the"condua of General B. was highly to be applauded : he immediately plunged into the thickest of the fight, Cheering and encou raging the men to do their duty ; thus seconding Sir ARTHUR most efficiently, and exposing his own person at the same time in the most fearless and gal lant manner. General BURRARD has had an excellent military education—is highly esteemed in the army as a good Officer and able Engineer, and increased his reputation considerably during the Campaign in Zealand, where he served as Second in Command to Lord CATHCART. After the battle, Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY, of Course, reported to General BURRARD, who then assumed the command ; but who was himself almost imriib:liately superseded. by Sir HEW DALRYMPLE, Who arrived .at Vimiera ou the 22d, from his Go vernment of Gibraltar. It May be proper.to add, that the battle of the 21st lasted about three hours and a half, and was completely at an end by half past one o'clock in the afternoon. Very honourable mention is made of Major-Ge t eral HILL (who left Ireland second in command Of the Expedition which sailed from Cork), by Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY, in the Dispatch of the 17th of Atigust. Li the arduous contest of that day, Ge neral HILL commanded the centre column, which attadked the French General LABORDE in front---a service he performed most gallantly, and received the thanks of the Commander in Chief after the battle was won. . On the 21st, General HILL commanded the right 'Wing of the British army. Had it been determined to have attacked the French at Torres Vedras, ki tten(' of remaining in the position of Vimiera, Gen. tLL would necessarily have been engaged in that Case, the mode of fighting the enemy wuuld have been in the choice of the British Commander. As it proved, however, that choice lay with the Duke 43 f ABEIANTEs, who brought the whole of his force 10 bear upon the English left and centre. • The only 'Use which could, therefore, be made of this fine body of men, more than eight thousand strong, was to withdraw t h em from the right, and station them i!1 the r ear o f t h e centre and le f t w i ngs, as a secon d line, in case any of the formidable columns of tft French attacking arm y should penetrate the first.— Vie have already slated, that by the superior man oeuvres of Sir ARTHU R WELLESLEY., in constantly flanking with a dreadful fire of artillery (SHRAP igELL'S principally) and small arms, and the invin cible bravery of the troops opposed to the heads of the French columns, which were as constantly bro ken as they approached near enough to taste the BRITISH BAYONET, that event never took- place; and thus, at the c l ose o f t h e a&ion, General HILL'S Wing had never fired a musket ! General BRE-. NIERE, when a prisoner in the British Canip, after • the anion, declared " that the French armies had never been followed up and pressed by an enemy, during all the revolutionary wars, as they had been in this short campaign; and that it was a mcxle of fighting as unusual to them as it was destruc tive !" The reputation of Major-General SPENCER 15 so thoroughky established, as well by his gallant cola clua•in the Egyptian Campaign, as in the whole ten o r i of a long course of active services, that we eau not °o pe any thing we record can possibly enhance It will, however, be permitted us to state, that if this Officer's reputation can be heightened, he, will owe it to his condud in Portugal. From the moment of his junction at Mondego with Sir AR . THUR WELLEsLay, the most efficient and cordial co-operation in concluding the movements of the British army immediately took place between these excellent, Otticers—perhaps the .very two, in the •vhole service of the most rising reputation.— They had never before served together, and their in :nary charaaera were known to each Other but by report. Far, however, !ruin feeling the jealousy inherent to little minds., these illustrious rivals were now only emulous in their zea) to serve their Country, and in offices of mutual deference and good- Will. Whilst the activity, resources, presence of mind, and p e rsonal gallantry of Sir ARTHUR, raised the highest admiration of him in the mind of Gene fal SPP,NCER—the science of the latter—his cool steadiness—his consummate judgment—his justness bf decision upon every point connected with the de- Vtice of positionsand his experience in every branch of his profession, at the same time that they rendered him in the highest degree service able to the Commander in Chief, insured also his warmest regard .and fi iondship. It is quite unnecessary to go into any detail of the /particular services of General SPENCER in the Portu guese Campaign. Sir ARTHUR'S Second tit Com rii:vncl, he was constantly with him, and consequent- every where where there was any thing to be done. , ;—" During the battle "—(of 'the Commander in Chief says in his report—" I was " much indebted to Major-General SPENCER'S " judgment and experience in the decision which I " formed with respeCt to the number of troops allot " ted to each point of defence, and_ for his advice " and assistance." What opinion General Spr..7.zer.it formed of" the condua of the Coeitmander in Chief that day's iit racy gathered from tile following chain - s stance t—As soon as the battle was over, he gallop ed up to Sir ARTHUR who was surrounded by the ideft;rent Genenil i Officers, trowding abotit to give him joy on the event ; andliaving seize 4 him the hand, tried out hi a burat of the most generous ekultation;—" 'My dear General, thank God for this lorious day ! I most sincerely congrattilate you. 'l . 'ts all your own—every part of it. The merit is entirely yours !" General SPENCER is of an antient and respectable family, and (as_ is Sir Annum WELi.Est.tv) axe Irishrhan: The gallantry of Major-General FERGUSON has gained that Otlicerjutt diStinaion among the Heroes of noleia and Vimiera. In the affair of the 17th, At the former place, he commanded the left column Of the British troops, which drove the enemy be yond the mountain passes, and compelled them to retreat upon Torres V i edras. For his conduct upon this occasion he received.the pnhlic thanks of the Commander in Chief. On the 21st,• his condu6t. was still more prominently marked ; he then corn i minded the British left, which so nobly repulsed, at the point of the bayonet, the enemy's attack upon t'the heights on the road to Lourinha. As the French colunin advanced with the utmost impetuosity to the charge, Supported by a large body of cavalry, General FERGUSON (accompanied by his Aid-de-Carrip - Mr. MELLISH, of sporting celebrity) advanced to the front of his own Brigade, and pulling off his hat, called out, ." THIRTY SIXTH ! Fonritta! SEVEN2Y-FIRSII you are now to charge the enemy—remember to do your duty I" He had scarcely said the words, when the enemy, being come near enough, these three Regiments, with the General at their head, instantly rushed on, and forced them to give way, with immense 103 s in killed and wounded, leaving behind them six pieces of cannon, the prey of the victors ! `To be continued. 111L 7 S1CAL FESTIVAL. The• annual • Music Meeting, at G!oucester, took place in that' City on Wednesday last, and was at tended by a very numerous concourse of Visit Ors from all the neighbouring towns and counties, inso much that hardly a lodging was to be had, and many individuals were compelled to leave Gloucester for Cheltenham, immediately after the performances were finished.: The Musical Festival was introduced by an excel lent Sermon at the Cathedral Church, preached' by the Rev. Mr. •PROBIN• After the. Litany, Dr. BoYCE's Anthem, Chorus, &c. was performed by, Messrs: HARRISON, BARTLEMAN, VAUGHAN, and Mrs. VAUGHAN ; and after the Sermon, the Coro nation Anthetn was also sung by the mule persons, in a very superior style of excellence. The Concert Room, in the evening, was crowded in the extreme, and Mrs. BILLINGTON was received with rapturous applause. The performances were, - Alexander's Feast, and a Seleftion. Mrs. BILLING- • TON sung He chose a mournful Muse, with a recita tive accompaniment, and The Prince,unakte to con ceal his Pain, with undiminished excellence ; but. in the Italian Bravura, Oh! Compore, accompanied . by Mr. F.CRAIVI ER, she displayed a superiority of voice, judgment, and execution, that drew forth the most enthusiastic applauses from the audience, and con firmed her reputation as the most scientific Singer ill Europe. On Thursday morning the Oratorio of The Crea tion was performed in the Cathedral, and had a won derful effea. The Trio, Ye that in !Paters glide, was admirably sung by Mrs. BILLINGTON, HAR- - RISON; and BARTLEMAN ; and the beautiful air, In. sweetest harmony more than divine, also sung by Mrs. BILLINGTON ; and, 0 - magnify the Lord, sung by Mrs. VAUGHAN, gave general satisfaction ; but the grand Chorus, He gave them hailstones, etc 7 resounding through the vaulted roof of the Cathe dral, had an astonishing etiea upon ,the congrega tion, and was most sublime and awful. The seve ral other sele&ed Pieces in the Second Aft were as ably performed, both in the instrumental as well as . vocal department, and proved an admirable treat to the lovers of Sacred Music. The cd Battalion of the 66th Regiment, now on Dublin duty, are ordered to Cork, to join the Expe dition at that place. They are a very fine .body of men, and are 800 strong. Government has purchased the late Mr. Winn- BY'S br:;whouse, and premises adjoining, at Wool wich, for the purpose of converting them into bar racks for the Royal Marines stationed there. The purchase-money is to be 53001. for 99 years. Our readers have heard of the ;;leeping maid of Cockfield, in Sussex, and of " sleeping beauties" in. other districts, to the stories related of Ahorn, per . haps, they have not given the most implicit credit. We have, at length, however, got a sleeping maid of our own county, of Whose trance the following particulars are communicated to us through a chan nel upon which we place the fullest reliance the afternoon of Wednesday the 31st ult. a little girl, about four years old, was sent by her mother, who is in indigent circumstances, to Rightbolt Hall, in the parish of Pinch'ieck., to beg a bottle of milk. The retinest was readily granted by Mrs. CAPE, and the child left the house to return home : she, however, did not reach her mother's house that night, and the greatest agitation was excited •in the neighbour hood by her not being found for three days. At length, about four o'clock on Saturday after noon, she was seen by a servant of Mr. CAPE'S, composedly. walking towards the house. , The ut most joy was of course -experienced on the re appearance of the child; and upon her being in terrogated as to where she had bean, and how she came to'be so long froth home, she replied, that she lost her way on .returning with the milk to her mo ther, and tell asleep in a ditch trench, from which she got out as soon.as she awoke, which was a short time before Mr. Cape's servant saw her. She de scribed the situation• of the ditch, and . upont he place ,Ding examined, the bottle was foutid, from which she had drank the milk before she fell asleep, and the grass and weeds betrayed such' an appearance as they. would naturally have after being lain upon for nearly three days and nights. The child was' re stored, to her friends, and one of those scenes ensued which are indescribable. The circumstance is the subjea of every body's conversation it' the neigh bourhood of Spalding, and there seems na reason at all to doubt that the child really slept from Wednes day evening 'till Sarturday afternocm.—(Starafo,d IV 0LC.410. A Letter from john B. Dahn'ey, Esq. Consul of OA United States of America, to a . trienti at St. Michael's. . . " Faral*,,t4Aores) lune 2,5, 1808.„ " DEAR SIR—A phenotrienan has occurred here, not unusual in former ageS, but of occurred fiai been no example of late years ; it was well calcu lated to inspire terror, and - has been attended with the destruction of lives and property. On Sunday, the Ist of say, at one, p. in. walking in the balcony of my house, at St. Anthonio, I heard noises like the report of heavy cannon at a distance, and coti 7 eluded there Was some sea engagenient,in the vicinity of the Iskirid &it soon .after, casting my eyes towardS the .Island of George's, ten leagues distant, I perceived a:dense column of smoke rising to an inimense ; it, was soon judged that a volcano had burst out about the centre .of that Island, and this was rendered certain when night came on, the fire exhibiting an awful appearance. - " Being desirous of viewing this wonderfkil exer tion of nature,. I embarked on the 3d of May, ac companied by the British Consul, and ten other Gentlemen, for St. George's ; we ran over in five hour and arrived at Vellas, ,the principal town, at eleven a. m. We found the poor inhabitants per fedly panic struck, and wholly given up to religious ceremonies and devotion. We learned that the fire of the Ist of .May had broken out in a ditch, in the midst of fertile pastures, three leagues S.E. of Vellas, and had immediately formed a crater, in size about 1.'4 acres. In two days it had thrown out cinders or small pumice stones, that a strong .N.E. wind had propelled .southerly; and which, independent:of the mass accumulated round the crater, had covered the earth from one foot to four in depth, half a league in width, and three leagues in length ; then passing the channel five leagues, had, done some injury to the . east point of Pico. The fire of this large crater had nearly subsided, but in the evening preceding our arrival, another small crater had opened, one league north:of the large one, and only two leagues from Vellas. " After taking some refreshment, we visited the second crater; the "sulphureous smoke of which, driven southerly, rendered it impraCticable to at tempt approaching the large onp. When we came within a mile of the crater, we found the earth rent in every direction, and, as we approached, neater, some of the chastris'were six feet wide; by 'leap ing over some of these chasms, and making wind , ings to avoid the 'larger ones, we at length arrived within two hundred yards of the spot ; and, saw it, in the middle of a pasture,. distin&ly, at intervals, when the thick smoke which swept the earth'lighted up a little. The mouth of it was only about fifty yards in circumference; the fire seethed Struggling for vent; the force with which a pale blue flame issued forth, resembled a powerail steam engine, multiplied a hundred fold ; the noise was deafening ; the earth where we stood had 'a tremulous - motion ; the whole island seemed convtalsed, horrid 'bellow ings wereotxasionally heard ffom 'the bowels of the earth, and earthquakes were frequent..• " After remaining here about ten minutes we re turned to town ; 7 the inhabitants had mostly - quitted their houses, and remained . in the open air•or under tents. We passed the night at Vellas, and the next' morning went by, water to Ursulina, a small sea-. Font town, two leagties south of Vellas; and viewed that part of the country Covered 'with the cinders before-mentioned, and which has turned the most valuable vineyards in the island into a frightful de sert. On the same day, (the 4th of May,) we re turned to Fayal, and on the sth and succeeding days, from 1 4 to :5' small .volcanoes broke out in f the fields we had traversed ort the 3d, from the chasms before described, and threw out a quantity of lava, which travelled on slowly towards Vellas. " The fire 'of those small craters subsided, and the lava ceased running about the ttth ' of May ; 'on which day the large volcano, that had lain dor mant for nine days, burst forth again like a roaring lion, with l.orrid helchings, distiriCtly heard at twelve leagues distance, throwing up prodigious large stones, and an immense quantity of lava, Ulu-, minating at night the whole island. This continued with tremendous force, until the sth of June, ex hibiting the awful yet magnificent spe6acle of a perfect river of fire 015611 seen from Fayal) run ning into the sea. On that day (the sth) we ex perienced that its force began to fail, and, in a few days after, it ceased entirely. The distance of the crater from the sea is about, four miles, and its ele vation about 3500 feet. BRECON ASSIZE. . STIDGE HARDINGE.—qhe followitig is the con e . On cluding, a the Legned Judge's most eloquent. Address to the Grated Jury at Brecon, at the tate, Assiies " Hers ,•at th is period of our intercourse,J should Part with yotijaut for the times.,,They.call upon me, with an iniperines voice, . to animate the high . spirit of the day, under.your wing, it should he,ihe last breath of 13 - sy life. That high spirit beams upoti of• with a gtilqdri ray of hope, that we haVe a deliverance at band from the baseinsportOr,a's well as the tigtirp- z ing Tyrant of the Continent, and who would hiVe degrAded us and yoti—e+en you, the Welsh-,--if the hand-Writingon - the wall had not convinced him.that slavery and life never can be reconciled in British ad versaries, The most enlightened city of the civilized earth, which is, in other words, to name the Cify-Of London, has countersigned, with all the sanaibis of its proud name, and with all the eloquence of its pub lie spirit, ottr interesting appeal to the God of Battles in the Ritriot Army of Spain. Upon similar OC casions I have attested. your zeal for. your Kingtand for his Government; when your independent has approved their condo. In, honour to that in, • dependence, I dare not recommend, but? have the courage to express a sanguine hoPe, that you will hot part before you shall have pledged congenial senti, ments in yOur Address to the King, and through him to the Countryy which I.wilt gratefully and proudly forward into his Majesty's hand. We are not only enlisted in the same host, but we are enrolled in the same principle, which is British at the root, Brittsti at the heart's core. It is the cause of native right, and of national independence; it is the generous hatred of 4 tyrant, whom nothing but the Sword.Cau meetwho violates every engagement—betrays every confidence—has polluted every thing he has touched—and in. a human shape . , the,pestilence not only of the legitimate Government, but of the. moral world; He has been compared, by depraved or timid. sycophants, to Alexander and Csar. The compliment is basely false ; those criminal hewer; in their frenzy of ambition, had lucid intelVals of clemency, of graceful condat, and of social virtde— nothing of the kind has ever yet escaped troth —His resemblance to our. usurper, Cromwell, is a little more close ; but. he was an observer of treaties; and kept his enemies at bay by his arin:j—not by the terror of his friendship (tire worst of all, this tyrant's enmities).—Amo.ng 4 t . his accumulated perL tidies, let me offer to your - notice (in a.bird's-eye • view) his condha in Spain Shew the hi piekure ! let me see his eyes ! , That , wheal. note dnotlrec man like hint • . may avoid him.' .. —He was the' ally of Spain—he Was debtor t.o thet. Power for important services—he obtained its conti dence—se disunited the King' front the Heir Appa rent, his own son—he made that son his hero—i:e fomented this family discord into a civil war—he then tookupon himselkhe office of a mediator, with an army at his heels—ereaed an intermediate Go vernment in a subordinate Janissary's hand,- and poured his French troops'into the capital of the Em pire. He took the King, the Heir Apparent; the-- queen of Spain with him; he bound them hand and ftot—he made the King .and his Heir successively abdicate their Crown, when they were as free eS the felon who is confined in your gaol ; he made— Oh, infaMy of horror 1--this. queen bastardize 'her own legitimate son, and brand herself as a degrth . led prbstitute ! ! He their quoted these very intatniet; against them in Spain, as proving them unworthy • to return, and base to their country.. Opposed iii these detestable perfidies, he murdered thotsands of Spaniards in cold blood, and at last insulted that .high spirited nation with his infamous brother's'elevatioh; by him, to the vacant throne ! It is thiS man we are to fight ; our deliverance and that of Europe combined--we are to fight him' locally iri Spain. But I address men of good sense, equal to their high spirit ; they Will follow me in the sentiment that 'Spain is Britain, that her cause will be felt its emery inch of your coast, and of the Island we inhabit.---4 Struck to the heart by a domestie visitation* (which the duty of a resigned Christian could alone has e enabled me to survive), I am. still animated .with zeal for, of me, so dear a sacrifice." The Grand Jury voted in . the sacred cMise of phlilic Spirit, which has a claimed congratulatory AddreSs to his Majesty. * The death of Capt. Hardinge, Catitaih of the Sr. Fio:. renzo, his nephew and his Aduptcd son, , killed in the ever memorable action„with La Piedniontaise.. On Thtirsday evening; about seven o'clock, a duel took place in a field near Pritnrose Hill, in.cOnse quenee of a rencontre which occurred in the morn ing between Capt. M-N of the Guards ;• and Mr. in the Strand; the former Gentlern4n.ad cusing the latter of pushing him off the_paVernent. In.exchanging shots, Mr. P.'s ball perforated his.an. tagonist's hat. The next shot Mr: P. was slightly wounded in the wrist. The seconds then interfered; and the dispute ,waS ,amicably adjusted, Captain D-o, of the Dragoons, was second to Captain M-----N, and the Hun, B-‘cY to' Mr.• JOSEPH HANsoN, Esq. of Manchester (one Of the - late. Candidates for the Borough of Preston; in, Lan-: cashire), has, we understand, been .indieted at the late Assizes at LanCaster, fur a - rdtsderneanor, in en couraeiner the Weavets who lately assembled in a large body at 'Manchester. • No previous coavlamt had been openly prdierted against Mr. Hanson, hut he having accidentally heard that such a had been fouud, immediately went over to Lancaster; and appeared itl Court on Saturday morning,' and ' requested, In strong terms, that his Trial might take place immediately, as if that was not• the case, he should labour under a calumny for six monthS to The depredations at the west end of the town come. This request -the Judge informed him could have, for these few days past, been very frequent. not be complied with without the consent of the A Gentleman was stopped early yesterday morning • Prosecutors (which they refused); the Judge in Park-lane; one of the villains attempted to put expressed a hope that Mr. RANSON'S so early ap a stick down his throat ; but the timely, assistance of pearance in Count ; and his readiness to meet the charge, would have theeffeat of doing away► all pre the watchman saved him from his perilous situ ation: Early yesterday ' thorning a desperate gang of judice, it any had been exerted against him. Mr: house-breakers broke into the house .of a linen-dra- HANSON then gave bail to answer the Indielment.: No Process had issued to compel his appearance. per in Manchester-street, Manchester - square , and 'plundered it of linen and other articles amounting I A Pedestrian, of the name of FARMER, who re-: to 401. in their escape, they were observed by the sides in Fetter-lank, started %yesterday morning at watcnrnan, who gave;" the alarm, and pursued them; two o'clock, for a wager of 30 guineas, to go 120 but others of the gang, thinking this a-favourable miles in 48 hours, on the Western Road. He oppottunity, returned, and broke into another house at Bagsbot at eight o'clock in the morning in good close to the watchman's box, which they plundered condition, and he will conclude his journey at also of several valuable articles', with which they got • Knights - hi - 4e this evening, if he should t?e success; clear oil: -- • . . " The lava inundated and swept away the town 4v)f Ursulina, and country-houses and cottages adja 7 cent, as well as the tart-houses, throughout its• course. It, as usual, save timely notice of its ap proach, and most of the inhabitants fled ; some few, however, remained in the vicinity of it too long, en deavouring to save their furniture and etfeEls, and were scalded by flashes of steam, which, without in juring their clothes, took off not only their skin but their flesh. About sixty persons were thnS misera• bly scalded, some of whom died on the spot, or in a few days after. Numbers of cattle shared the same fate. The Judge and principal inhabitants left the Island very early. The consternation and anxiety were for some days so great among, the people, that even theif domestic concerns were abandoned, and, amidst plenty, they were in danger of starving. Supplies of ready-baked bread were, sent from hence to their relief, and large boats were sent to bring away the inhabitants who had lost their ,dwellings. lii short, the Island, heretofore rich in cattle, corn, and wine, is nearly ruined, and a scene of greater desolation and distress has seldom beet witnessed in any Country.- I w tti